Pressure vessel



D. B. GARDNER PRESSURE VESSEL May 13, 1952 Filed April 6, 1946 1 .171 7/6 11 @nalK/zf darn/n0 .JZ wwe Patented May 13, 1952 PRESSURE VESSEL Donald B. Gardner, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Bell & Gossett Company, Morton Grove, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application April 6, 1946, Serial No. 660,226

1 Claim.

My invention relates to pressure vessels and more particularly to that type which comprises a shell closed at one or both ends by a separate head.

In a characteristic arrangement involving a vessel of the above type, the head is bolted to the shell which necessarily requires a flanging of the head and the end of the shell, or the securing of a separate ring to the shell which functions as an attaching flange, and bolt openings in the flanges. Such a construction is expensive to manufacture and uniformity of contact between the shell and head is difiicult to obtain, particularly Where the vessel takes the form of a heat exchanger having tubes supported in a tube sheet at the head end and it is required to attach a multi-chambered head to the shell in such a way that a substantial interior seal is elfected between the head and shell and the partitions in the head act as stays for the tube sheet.

It is therefore the principal object of my invention to provide a tube sheet equipped, pressure vessel having a partitioned head closing an end thereof in which the head is welded to the shell and the shrinkage of the weld forces the partitions in the head tightly against the tube sheet.

These and further objects of the invention will be set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and the novel means by which said objects are eifectuated will be definitely pointed out in the claim.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a typical heat exchanger embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the right end of the exchanger, as viewed in Fig. 1, or as taken along the line 22 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional details showing successive steps in closing one end of the exchanger shell.

Referring to the drawing, the pressure vessel which, as a matter of disclosure is arranged as a heat exchanger, comprises a shell H] which at one end may be closed by a head secured thereto in any conventional manner, as by welding. A tube sheet I2 is mounted in the opposite end of the shell H1 and closing and shaped for mating relation with this end is a dished head I 3. The interior of the head I3 is divided by a diametral partition I, spaced partitions l5 and I6 extending laterally with respect to and from one side of the partition l4, and a partition l1 extending from the opposite side of the partition M at an elevation between the partitions l5 and I6. These partitions define with the head |3 and the tube sheet |2 a plurality of chambers l8, l9, 2|], 2| and 22, the chamber |8 being connected to a source of supply by an inlet nipple 23 and the chamber 22 discharging through an outlet nipple 24, although the direction of flow may be reversed.

Fluid entering the chamber 8 makes several longitudinal traverses of the shell through banks of tubes generally indicated by the numeral 25 in Fig. 3. These tubes are arranged in a manner well known in the heat exchanger art and so that the fluid first enters the tubes through the chamber l8 and then flows successively through the chambers I9, 20, 2| and 22, traverses of the shell I0 being effected between the chambers l8 and l9, l9 and 20, 2|! and 2|, and 2| and 22. The other exchanging fluid ma be introduced into the shell l0 through a connection 26 for flow over the tubes 25 and discharged through a connection 21.

So far as described, the exchanger does not differ in any substantial respect from those of existing types. The invention consists in the mode of attachment of the head l3 to the shell I0 and the important results flowing therefrom. In assembling this end of the exchanger, the tube sheet I2 is first secured to the shell by a circumferential weld 28 (see Fig. 4) so that a portion of the sheet extends beyond the end of the shell to provide an annular shoulder 29. The head I3 is then telescoped over the shoulder 29 to abut the exposed edges of the partitions I4, |5, I6 and I1 against the tube sheet I2 and suflicient clearance is left between the weld 28 and the facing edge of the head to enable the application of a circumferential weld 30 that tightly secures:

the head to the tube sheet and shell.

The tube sheet serves as a backing ring for the welds and the normal shrinkage of the weld which attaches the head draws those edges of the partitions |4, I5, I 6 and I! which face the tube sheet tighter into contact therewith. This arrangement not only hermetically seals the end of the shell but provides a working tightness between the tube sheet and the partitions dividing the interior of the head so that, for most practical purposes, the chambers |8, I9, 20, 2| and 22 are sealed from each other. To facilitate the obtaining of this result, the exposed edges of the partitions I4, |5, l6 and I! are faced smooth to insure intimate contact with the tube sheet. If a higher degree of seal is desired in these localities, suitable gaskets may be interposed between 3 the tube sheet !2 and the abutting edges of the partitions 14, I5, 16 and H.

In addition to dividing the interior of the head l3 into a plurality of chambers, the partitions l4, I5, l6 and H by reason of their abutting relation to the tube sheet I2 function as stays for and support this sheet against pressure within the shell;

I claim:

In a pressure vessel, the combination of a shell a wall fitting within and extending transversely of the shell at one end thereof, a portion of the wall projecting beyond the shell to provide a shoulder, a dished head fitting over the shoulder with its edge face spaced from the adjacent end of the shell to thereby define a channel extending around the exposed periphery of the wall, and Welding material in the channel for securing the shell, wall and head together, the head being interiorly divided by partitions which abut and tightly contact the wall.

' DONALD B. GARDNER.

REFERENCES CITED 'Ifhefollowing references are of record in the .1 o t i pa en UNITED STATES PATENTS .Grawford Apr. 3, 1945 

